Shipping ministry starts process to form Matarbari Deep Seaport Authority

The shipping ministry is mulling the formation of an independent authority for the management of Matarbari Deep Seaport – the first deep seaport in the country – which is currently under construction under the supervision of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA).

Construction of the seaport in Maheshkhali Upazila of Cox's Bazar began on 16 November 2020.

As per the Chattogram Port Authority, an inter-ministerial meeting took place at the shipping ministry on 30 November over the formation of the Matarbari Deep Seaport Authority. Representatives from the finance ministry, customs, ports and other concerned institutions participated in the meeting.

An official of the Chattogram Port Authority, who attended the meeting, told The Business Standard, "The new port authority [for Matarbari] is going to be formed upon instructions of the prime minister. There are instructions to form the Matarbari port authority as soon as possible. It is expected to be formed within the next six months."   

Sources from the meeting said that the authority for Matarbari port will be formed before the completion of the port construction.

The Secretary of Chattogram Port Authority Omar Faruk told TBS that once the Matarbari port authority is formed, the operations of the port will be managed by new manpower to be recruited. 

The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has already spent around Tk200 crore on the Matarbari port development project. Once the new authority is formed, the CPA will no longer have to finance the project. The amount spent will be considered as a loan to Matarbari port.

Port officials say that once formed, the Matarbari port authority will accelerate the port construction, saving management cost and time and facilitating new employment.

The maritime distance from Chattogram port to Matarbari is 34 nautical miles. Chattogram port officials need to travel that distance to supervise construction activities of the Matarbari port.

Talking to TBS, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Director Mahfuzul Hoque Shah welcomed the government initiative to form an independent authority for Matarbari port. 

Once formed, he said, the authority will ease the operations of the Matarbari port.

As per the shipping ministry, Matarbari Deep Seaport Authority will be formed as the sixth such authority for ports under the ministry.

Currently, five such authorities are operating under the shipping ministry. They are—Chattogram Port Authority, Mongla Port Authority, Payra Port Authority, Bangladesh Land Port Authority and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority.  

On 11 November, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 14.3km navigation channel of the Matarbari port and laid the foundation stone for the construction of the port's first terminal.

The channel will be handed over to the Matarbari Port Authority following its establishment.

Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail, the chairman of Chattogram Port Authority, told TBS that the construction of the first terminal will be completed within three years, commencing from early next year.

The estimated cost of the Matarbari port development project is Tk17,807.44 crore.